1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a protected application launcher with a graphical interface for a data processing platform constituted by a network of machines on which runs a plurality of heterogeneous applications.
2. Description of Related Art
In actual current practice, the data processing platforms used are increasingly complex. They are composed of a plurality of machines of various types (from different manufacturers), of different sizes (small, medium and large-scale computers), having internal as well as external communication protocols of different natures, and connected to one another through a network.
These platforms are most often "production oriented systems". In this respect, they have the same function as the traditional "mainframes" from large computer manufacturers. This means that they must exert a high level of control over the requests for services from the client-user ("customer service requests").
When someone seeks to launch an application intended to run on a platform of this type, the following problems arise:
1) Is the user who wishes to launch the application authorized to do so? PA1 2) In the case where a large number of applications are at his disposal, and as a function of the work he wishes to accomplish, he may encounter great difficulty in finding the application best suited to this task. For this reason, it is essential to be able to classify them easily by their activity domains (called "services" by one skilled in the art). PA1 3) The storage of commands for the launching of applications by the user is an error source due to the relatively complex syntax of these commands. PA1 protected application launching means with a graphical user interface, and PA1 means for storing application launch commands, and is characterized in that it comprises: PA1 privilege acquisition means, specific to each application and associated with the launching means, for authorizing access rights to any user, allowing him to launch the chosen application, and PA1 launch authorization means which only allow the launching of an application if the corresponding user has valid access rights.
In the case of platforms running on the UNIX operating system, there are essentially two modes for launching applications.
The first, called the line mode, solves the first problem without allowing delegation or authorization, that is, the possibility of giving a user having limited access rights permission to launch an application to which he does not normally have the right.
The second, called the graphic mode, solves the first problem in the same way as the line mode, and also solves the third problem.